Monday, May 30, 2011

CNNGo Expands To Seoul, Renews Partnership With Korean Air

CNNGo, CNN's online travel guide, has expanded its coverage to include Seoul, South Korea. Meanwhile, Korean Air has extended its sponsorship of the companion television program. Details from CNN below.

Launched in September 2009, CNNGo explores life, eating, drinking, shopping, and play experiences in the most fascinating and diverse places in the world - Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney and now Seoul.

Andrew Demaria, Editor in Chief at CNNGo, says, "Seoul is one of the most dynamic and vibrant cities in the world and we are honored with the chance to explore more of it with CNNGo. Right now there is so much interest in Korea, we are seeing growing numbers of international visitors and we aim to deliver to our audience - in Korea and abroad - a unique, on-the-ground insider take of this incredible city. We aim to provide the ultimate insiders' guide for Seoulites, tourists and international travellers with the help of our locally-based staff and our network of contributors."

CNNGo Seoul is created by an expanding network of dozens of Seoul-based writers, journalists, photographers, opinion-makers, bloggers, personalities and trend-setters with Frances Cha at the helm as CNNGo's Seoul Editor and Rachel Han as Korean editor.

"We will explore and expose the work-hard play-hard city from an insider's point of view. Seoul has been dictating distinctive and unusual trends in music, film, television, beauty, food, art and fashion across Asia for the past decade, and we will be examining such social phenomena and cultural movements with wit and quirky humor added to the commentary" says Cha.

The site provides a detailed, balanced, real and often gritty ‘view' of the featured cities for locals and travellers alike. It is presented as a sharp, witty, knowledgeable, concise companion produced by those with firsthand experiences in each city.

CNNGo Seoul also integrates iReport as a dedicated space for community connections, outreach and sharing, specific to travel, entertainment and lifestyle experiences and pursuits of its readers. Designed specifically for users to broadcast and share their stories and perspectives, users can comment on, recommend and share each others' iReport submissions via Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. Cha adds, "We want Seoulites to be among the first to contribute stories, submit videos and photos and share their likes and dislikes of the city with us."

CNN International announces that Korean Air is continuing its sponsorship around the network's travel, entertainment and lifestyle brand ‘CNNGo'. This renewal marks the success of a year-long partnership since May 2010 between the world's leading news network and South Korea's largest airline, one which launched with on-air advertising around CNN's monthly travel and lifestyle show ‘CNNGo'.

With the sponsorship now entering into a second year, Korean Air is committed to advertising around the ‘CNNGo' TV program which is extending from a 15-minute to a 30-minute show starting in May with Hanoi and June with Beijing. The airline's brand will also be visible when highlights from the show airs within CNN's other TV programs.

Korean Air's sponsorship also extends beyond TV to CNN's online properties. Banner ads will appear on CNNGo's TV show page at www.cnngo.com/tv in addition to a new city section of CNNGo.com at www.CNNGo.com/Seoul for Seoul.

The sponsorship comprises a TV and online campaign designed to raise awareness of the global carrier's brand credentials for "Excellence in Flight". Starting May 11th, the advertisements will play out in front of CNN's over 275-million-household audience worldwide across Asia Pacific, South Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and North America. There will also be Korean Air banner rotations and CNNGo co-branded banners running across CNN digital properties.

In June, the sponsorship rolls out further to CNNGo's mobile properties (m.cnngo.com), including banner placements across the CNN App for iPad.

"This renewal reaffirms CNN's success and leading position to bring strong brand visibility for Korean Air," said William Hsu, Vice President of News Advertising Sales, CNN Asia-Pacific. "We are thrilled that the tie-up around CNNGo has extended across CNN's diverse multi-media platforms ensuring the two brands reach an ever-growing group of consumers and travellers around the world."

Korean Air's Managing Vice President of Corporate Communications, Emily Cho, said: "'Korean Air is delighted to renew our sponsorship of CNNGo. The high-quality content that this program provides to viewers worldwide fits in perfectly with our brand and our dedication to incomparable service for our customers."